Following a week of heightened tensions on campus, Columbia University has suspended more than 65 students in response to a pro-Palestinian protest that saw participants occupying the Butler Library. In the incident, which occurred just before the crucial finals period, movers in masks and keffiyehs burst through the security barriers and disrupted the academic peace. According to Gothamist, the university has also barred an additional 33 individuals from affiliated institutions, including Barnard College, and a number of alumni who took part.
The demonstrators' demands were clear: they called for the university to divest from Israel, to prohibit all police and immigration officials from the campus, and to undo disciplinary actions against pro-Palestinian protesters. Their actions, however, led to Columbia's interim President, Claire Shipman, to take significant measures, including the summoning of the NYPD to aid in breaking up the protest. In a statement obtained by Gothamist, Shipman stated that the protestors had caused "substantial chaos" and left her with "no choice" but to call in the police.
The library protest was marked by fierce resistance from both sides—protesters digging in their heels and campus officers holding their ground. The clash resulted in injuries to two officers, while police arrested 80 individuals for their actions, which included defacing the library. Some protesters were reportedly pushed down stairs and knocked over by the officers, with videos of the confrontation circulating on social media platforms. The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that his office plans to examining the immigration or visa status of individuals involved in trespassing and vandalism, as reported by abc News.
The crackdown comes amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Columbia University over the university’s response to antisemitism on campus. Trump has threatened to pull $400 million in federal funding, and earlier this week, around 180 staff members lost their jobs as a result of the funding withdrawal.
